


Retrouvailles

by lunarcrowley



Category: The X-Files, Twin Peaks
Genre: And new feelings, Angst, Awkwardness, Confessions, Crossover, Dale cooper is gay, Deviates From Canon, Drama, Episode: s01e07 Realization Time, F/F, F/M, M/M, Mulder and Scully are both extremely bisexual, Nature Scenery, Old Feelings, Previous Relationship, Resisting attraction, Romance, Scully is sapphic, Tenderness, Unattainable, Unconditional Love, academy era boyfriends, and then letting go, holding on to the past, mild jealousy, overly poetic, reunited, the one that got away
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-24 21:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20021287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarcrowley/pseuds/lunarcrowley
Summary: FBI agents Dale Cooper and Fox Mulder have a complicated relationship. Upon a chance reunion in an equally complicated small town, old feelings begin to resurface. Scully just wants to know what all of it is about...until she ends up in her own situation.





	Retrouvailles

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I hope you can humor me here with this crossover. I just couldn't help myself. Just to clear up the timelines: this is set during season 1 of The X Files and season 1 episode 7 (Realization Time) of Twin Peaks. Although Twin Peaks is set during 1989 and The X Files begins in 1994, this time difference has been set aside and this is written as if The X Files began in 1989 as well. I'm so sorry if this is too out of character and if it's totally ridiculous. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy it!

_**April 2nd, 1989**_

"Diane, it's 6:38 AM. I've only had four hours of sleep, but I am certain that the time spent awake was well worth it. At least I now know that Audrey Horne is in a less precarious place." 

A sigh into the dark, cold hotel room. 

"I had another dream last night. It was not like the others; but, as always, I remain phased by it, and I seek to decipher its meaning. My dream tells me, according to my assumptions, that someone I knew years ago will cross my path at a near point."

A heavy pause. 

"Diane, I don't know what to make of it, except that the past may be returning for an unexpected visit. I suppose the only way to find out, is to wait. In further investigation, we hope to soon uncover more about what really happened that night in Jacques Renault's cabin. This will most likely put us on the trail of Laura Palmer's killer. The truth is out there, Diane."

-

"Mulder, where are we?"

Mulder glanced at his disoriented partner to see her sitting up in her seat, rubbing her eyes and adjusting her short red hair. She had slept for the majority of the road trip, leaving him with fuzzy radio stations and sunflower seeds as his only company. 

"Scully, you're awake," He smiled at her from the driver's side, glad to see her finally conscious. He had decided, however, that she looked so very peaceful and delicate in sleep, her elegant frown virtually dissolved. Currently, it was quickly returning. "About to pass through a little slice of nowhere called Twin Peaks. You ever heard of it?"

Dana gave him a tired, dry look. "Sorry, Mulder, but I'm a little rusty on my remote Northwestern towns." Her head still filled with cobwebs, she looked curiously out her window at the variety of towering, column-like pine trees growing on either side of the road. Douglas Firs, maybe.

His smile only widened at the deadpan of her tone, as he gazed out at the endless stretch of green, rocky landscape. The car they'd requisitioned looked almost too shiny to be flying down the dusty mountain backroads of Washington State. On a curve, he spotted a weathered sign jutting from the ground. It read 'Welcome to Twin Peaks, population 51,201.'

"You wanna stop and get lunch?"

Dana shrugged, feeling that a stop was probably in order. It was late afternoon, and she hadn't had anything since breakfast. 

"Sure."

"Good, I'm starving," Mulder said in cheerful agreement, and stepped on the gas. He swerved around a dodgy corner on the face of the mountain, the car kicking up dirt in their wake. Scully was glad she'd been asleep for most of the drive. There were probably multiple steep edges and valley views that she would prefer not to see with Mulder behind the wheel. 

She was a little concerned about his seemingly unbothered demeanor.

The case they had recently taken was right up near the Canadian border, in a town that was probably just as off the grid as this one seemed to be. They'd flown to Seattle, but had to drive the rest of the way for lack of public airports in the high mountains and the dense forest. Three people had gone missing and two bodies had been found, all in the space of a week. Mulder had theorized, of course, that alien abduction was involved, and he had old reports from the town to back it up: but Scully was thinking more along the lines of a drug ring or a crime network due to the town's proximity to the border. She wouldn't believe it was anything strange until she saw it herself (and even then, probably not); but neither one of them could really be sure of anything until they arrived and had a real look around. 

A few minutes later, the agents had ventured a few miles into town, and buildings were beginning to dot the sides of the highway. It was disappointing to see that even in the middle of the day, many seemed closed or abandoned.

"Wow, this is discouraging."

"No kidding."

"Hold on, there's a place." Scully pointed at the first open restaurant she saw. It was a homey-looking diner, with an electric sign reading "Cafe", with two Rs above it. 

Mulder parked the car in the populated lot in front. The diner was busy with customers and well lit, allowing his hopes to rise. The sky was overcast and it had been all day. Until Scully had spotted the place, everything had looked equal parts neglected, desolate, and gloomy before comfortable. Either Twin Peaks was just a lonely, sleepy little berg, or some occurrence had swept it barren and cold. 

"Mulder, please take your garbage with you this time," Scully scolded, as she climbed out of the car. She still looked a little grouchy and bleary-eyed from her nap. Soda cans, styrofoam boxes and plastic packaging littered the floorboards. 

"Alright, jeez," He said defensively, as he gathered it up and took it to the trash can on the corner. If it wasn't for her, the car would always be a dump. He joined her shortly at the door, wearing his long black coat as the afternoon air was chilly and dry compared to the warm, humid climate of DC. Scully wore similar attire, although she proved more resistant to cold weather. She pushed open the door, and a bell jingled above them.

Inside, the diner was brightly colored and clean, complete with neon signs, mellow jazz on the jukebox, and the lively chatter of patrons. The air smelled like coffee and homecooked meals. Mulder smiled, and Scully did, too, even if just a little bit. 

"This isn't too bad," He whispered to her, as they slid into a booth at the front. 

Scully grabbed a menu from behind the napkins, and slid one across the table to him. "But how's the food?" She challenged, still looking vaguely unimpressed as she scanned the laminated surface. 

A young, pretty waitress in a light green uniform approached them as they got accustomed to their seats. She wore a friendly expression, and her honey-brown hair hung in curls over her shoulders.

"Hi, welcome to the Double R. I'm Shelly. What can I get you?" 

Mulder smiled at her. "I'll have a turkey BLT and a sweet iced tea."

"Cheeseburger with fries, and a Coke for me," Scully said, and Shelly jotted down their orders. "Sure thing."

Before heading to the kitchen, she paused and curiously looked them over, especially their formal attire. "I haven't seen either of you around here before. Are you visiting?"

"Yes, we're passing through," Scully confirmed. 

"Well, welcome to Twin Peaks," Shelly said, and her smile looked slightly forced; as though she were hiding something for the sake of guests. She looked them over once more and then turned to get the orders of the teenagers in the next booth over.

Mulder and Scully exchanged a look.

"Something feel...off to you?" Mulder asked, quietly, with a frown. He was always one to put a lot of faith in his intuition. The atmosphere felt a little strange to him, like a phantom concern that passed through him on momentary occasion. It could just be the eccentric air that many small towns possessed, but he wasn't sure. 

Scully rolled her bright blue eyes and sighed. But then, to his surprise, she gave a slow, ambivalent nod, her brows coming together in a similar fashion. "Sort of." Her expression then returned to its usual doubtfulness of his 'spooky senses', and she crossed her arms over her chest. "But things are always different way out in the middle of nowhere."

Mulder begrudgingly accepted her argument but didn't let go of his observation. 

They both turned absently to watch the goings-on of the diner while they waited for their food.

Dana glanced along the booths and the few curious decorations mounted on the walls, taking in the oddities that could be found nowhere else. She was secretly fond of places like this, although she would always wear an outer layer of indifference to it. 

For a split second, she caught the eye of a waitress serving an elderly couple across the diner. Coal black hair, in a short bob, her skin a shade of deep copper. The pale seafoam green uniform looked perfect on her, pulled over her broad shoulders and brisk arms. As with anytime she noticed a particularly alluring woman, Scully's heart skipped a beat. She looked away, her hand self-consciously moving to the back of her neck. 

Mulder didn't seem to notice at all. He was absorbed in discerning the happenings by the kitchen.

Shelly talked to a man in a white apron behind the counter as she served customers. Mulder picked up the word 'prison'. Perhaps, more was going on than met the eye. His feeling was uneasy, one he couldn't really explain. The service bell rang a few minutes later, and their conversation seemed to end with a rather dark expression on the man's face. Shelly then brought them their plates.

"Wow, that was fast," Mulder complimented.

"That's how we do it here," Shelly replied. Scully was already shoveling fries into her mouth; she must've been starving. In faint concern, she only hoped that, during this, the attractive waitress wouldn't stroll their way. 

"Our specialty here is homemade pies. Original recipe. Let me know if you'd like a slice," She offered. Scully nodded, and the waitress returned to the counter.

"So, the food's good, then?" Mulder asked, with a small smirk. She waved her hand at him. 

Mulder began to take a bite of his sandwich, amused by how quickly Scully was clearing her plate. The bell above the door jingled as two new customers entered the diner. Mulder and Scully didn't turn to look, but instead eavesdropped without really being aware that they were paying attention; it was a ingrained ability, taught as any agent's basic surveillance skills. 

"Hello, Hank."

"Hi, Harry. Glad to see me? You lookin' for a free lunch, I recommend the meatloaf."

"Save it. I'm looking for you."

"Harry? I'm innocent."

"What you are is on parole, Hank. That means, pay your case officer a visit once a week, Fridays. You miss a visit, you go to jail."

"Thanks for the reminder, Sheriff. Stop in any time."

Mulder was halfway through his sandwich now, and listening more closely as the conversation took an interesting turn. The Sheriff? Some tension had certainly come up. Scully had polished off her burger and was taking care of her last few fries. Mulder reached his hand across the table to grab one, and she slapped his hand away.

"You think people ever change, Cooper? I don't." 

"Oh, afternoon, guys. Would you like some coffee?" 

"Afternoon, Shelly. Yes." Someone new was talking now; the mellifluous voice resounded in Mulder's ears for a moment. He felt, inexplicably, like he'd heard it before. 

"We should be on our way." The Sheriff seemed in a hurry.

"Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it, don't wait for it, just let it happen."

That voice, and the way it gave such sage advice, was all too familiar. Mulder turned slightly in his seat, and his quickly formed suspicions were confirmed; his odd feeling seemed to reach its peak. At the counter stood a man in a plaid, woodsy jacket, and a cowboy hat, a sheriff's badge gleaming from his chest. Beside him, a man in a suit, neat black hair, tan trench coat. He could've been anyone else, if not for his instantly recognizable face and distinct smile. 

"Oh, man." Mulder's mouth was still full of sandwich. 

Cooper went on. "...it could be a new shirt, a catnap in your office chair, or two cups of good hot black coffee. Like this." He was smiling wide, and Harry seemed to be entertained by his joy. 

"A present? Like Christmas?" He asked, doubt on his face. Cooper nodded delightedly.

"What is it?" Scully asked, when she registered Mulder's unprecedented reaction, a slight frown creasing her forehead as she sipped her Coke through a straw. "Is that the Sheriff?"

Mulder swallowed and put his sandwich down, suddenly looking outwardly apprehensive, which Scully took as some kind of abnormal.

"Yeah. And an agent that I knew at the academy."

"Really?" Scully asked incredulously. She looked at him a moment, studying him. "And what, you don't like reunions?" She teased. He was staring at the table with a rather daunted look on his face, looking less like his regularly detached self. 

But, it was pretty unexpected to run into another agent while on a case, especially in an isolated town like this. What were the chances?

Mulder didn't meet her eyes and stood up suddenly, abandoning his meal as he took long strides across the diner to where the two sat.

"Wait up, Mulder," Scully huffed. Her expression was dubious as she drank the last of her Coke, and followed right on his heels. She was interested to discover another hidden kernel of her partner's undoubtedly narrative past, while they had a little time.

"Ahh, man, that hits the spot. Nothing like a great cup of black coffee." Cooper sighed in contentment as he enjoyed the hot beverage steaming in front of him, and slid Harry's cup to a likewise position. Despite whatever stress Cooper must've been experiencing, he seemed very relaxed.

"Cooper?" Mulder said, slightly unsure and barely trusting his eyes as he approached. Cooper turned away from his damn fine coffee and his eyes widened.

"Mulder?" Something shifted in his expression, like he had somehow expected this. 

Mulder was smiling, then, as Cooper stood with startled quickness. They regarded one another in sweeping gazes, from head to toe, like they couldn't believe it. They shook hands, and then hugged, embracing warm and tight. "It's been, what, five years?" One of them mumbled into the other's shoulder. When they pulled back, they both paused, and then made haste to let go. For a heartbeat, and for reasons unknown, the air between them was charged.

Scully was watching in confusion, and so was Harry. 

After gazing at Mulder in wonder for a few extra seconds, Cooper remembered that the Sheriff was beside him. "Oh, Harry, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder of the FBI. We attended the academy together." He spoke slow and fond, still beaming with surprise.

"Sheriff Harry S. Truman," he said, with a friendly and yet urgent smile, as he shook Mulder's hand.

"This is my partner, Special Agent Dana Scully," Mulder introduced her, and then explained who his old friend was. "This is Special Agent Dale Cooper." 

Dana sidled up to Mulder and shook hands with the Sheriff, with a small, amiable smile. "Hello, nice to meet you, Sheriff, Agent Cooper," She said. Her blue eyes were bright and civil, with the barest hint of uncertainty. 

"Pleasure to know you, Agent Scully," Cooper said, a huge grin on his face, as he shook Dana's hand excitedly.

"What brings you to Twin Peaks?" Harry asked. If Mulder had detected right, he seemed a touch nervous to have more Feds in town.

"Just a late lunch stop," Scully answered. Mulder was preoccupied with staring at Cooper, like they were having some sort of telepathic conversation. Scully wasn't sure if it was creepy or admirable. "We're heading to Clearview for a case."

"And you're here on the Laura Palmer case, which followed the Theresa Banks murder," Mulder remembered. He knew he'd seen Twin Peaks written somewhere. He hadn't known where Dale Cooper had been for years, but it was his best guess that he was here for that reason.

"Absolutely right," Cooper confirmed, although his smile waned and was shadowed by something grave. Harry nodded and he, too, seemed to be reminded of the weight on their shoulders.

At mention of the young victim's name, the radiant walls of the diner seemed to dim, the laughter in the background seemed to fade. This was a town stricken and mourning, faking it through. It made sense, then, why the area perceived to the travelers as tense and somber.

"Have you had a lot of progress?" Scully asked, to be polite. And, the case was quite jarring: two young women were dead, killed brutally. She could only hope they were in hot pursuit.

"Well, we're on our way. It's turned out to be much more complicated than we originally assumed," Harry answered. His eyes were tired and weary, like something burdened his heart.

"What's gone wrong in Clearview?" Cooper asked, as though wanting not to dwell on the Laura Palmer case. He knew Mulder would have more questions later, if they'd have a chance to talk; he personally believed case details were better discussed in less public areas. 

Mulder nodded in acknowledgement. "Three missing, two bodies, mirroring similar cases as far back as the 1940s. It's been considered an X File," Mulder said, his expression serious and, to Scully, obviously containing enthusiasm to tell his fellow agent all about it. She just barely held back from a disapproving glance in his direction.

"Ah. I've only heard of them. Archives, right?" Cooper said, reaching for his coffee and sipping with interest. "Mysterious, unexplained phenomena?"

Sheriff Truman shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable. From the look on his face, Mulder had a fleeting thought that maybe he had seen or felt something strange related to the Laura Palmer case. Or maybe he was just squeamish. 

"Yes," Mulder said, and he bit his tongue to keep from going on. "Scully's my assigned skeptic," He said, and nudged her lightly with his elbow. She nudged him back, one eyebrow raised in a vaguely playful manner.

"Well, you'd need one, wouldn't you, Spooky?" Cooper joked, as he drank the last of his coffee. His was voice light and teasing, and he proceeded to throw a wink in Mulder's direction.

Scully blinked. She was definitely surprised to see not an inkling of offense on Mulder's face at the nickname. He responded only with an agreeing chuckle. This was the first time she'd seen him look so receptive of it. But somehow, she felt it wasn't the nickname itself that caused this reaction, but more who was using it. She was close to squinting.

"We'd really better be going, Coop. Lots to do," The Sheriff reminded him, interrupting their banter as he stood and turned away from the coffee cup that he hadn't touched. Cooper returned his empty cup to Shelly, and seemed to come back down to Earth, though his face fell a little at the idea of parting.

"Yes, of course. Thank you for the coffee, Shelly," He said. Harry began to shuffle towards the door with a sense of immediacy that Cooper did not match.

"I'll catch up with you later?" Cooper asked, his eyebrows raised and his expression shamelessly hopeful.

"Sure," Mulder agreed, and Dana skeptically thought she noticed a flush in his cheeks. 

"Room 315, the Great Northern hotel, if you're still in town. I'll be there later this evening," He said, as he began to head for the entrance.

"It was nice meeting you, agents," Harry said with a rough sympathy, and a tip of his hat. He was halfway out the door. "Good luck on your case."

"And you with yours," Scully replied, in kind. 

"Oh! And before you go, you have to try the pie, it's out of this world," Cooper advised, making an approving gesture with his hand. "Goodbye, Scully. I'll see you, Mulder." He seemed to be lingering, keeping his eyes on Mulder for as long as possible before he turned to follow the Sheriff. 

"We will. Till later, Coop," Mulder waved. On their way out, Dana heard Sheriff Truman asking Cooper in a low voice, "An X File? What the hell is that?" And she couldn't help but relate.

As soon as the two were out of earshot, Scully turned to him sternly. "Okay, Mulder, I'm getting the vibe that there's something you aren't telling me."

Mulder acknowledged her statement but elected to ignore it for a few moments more. He leaned on the counter.

Shelly strolled down the counter to meet his attentive gaze. "Pie?" She asked, expectantly. 

"Two slices, please. Cherry for me."

"Apple," Scully said, half-heartedly, as she returned to giving Mulder a weary expression. "I want the whole story."

Mulder's lips pressed into a tight line. The pies arrived moments later and he gathered the plates, one in each hand. He carried them back to their booth and sat down, taking a long, stalling drink of his iced tea.

Scully tapped her foot impatiently, watching him drain his glass.

Mulder then leaned forward to fill her in on the context. "He was my mentor at the academy." He let out a soft laugh of amazement, like he had been containing it. "I haven't seen him in years. We fell out of touch. Here, of all places."

"It is pretty unusual," Scully remarked, as she cut into her pie with the side of her fork. "But not impossible. So you two were close, then?" She asked.

"Yeah. But he became an agent before me, and we never were assigned as partners or even to similar regions. Both Violent Crime, though. I looked for him a few times, at Quantico, but nobody had seen him." He sliced his pie and scarlet cherry filling oozed out around the crust. 

"You can't wait to tell him all about the X Files, can you?" She asked, after she took a bite. 

He only smiled in response.

She rolled her eyes airily. "I noticed you were okay with him calling you Spooky."

Mulder hesitated a moment. "Oh, yeah. He was the one who started calling me that in the first place." He paused again, like it was hard for him to share. He poked the same chunk of pie repeatedly. "But he believed me, you know. It was just a friend thing. Until other people caught on."

"I see," Scully nodded, trying to be understanding of Mulder's ginger approach to opening up. "So that's where it began."

"Uh-huh. We were sort of kindred spirits. I, well, I looked up to the guy." He went quiet for a moment, eating his pie in huge bites, and didn't meet her eyes. "Damn, this pie is good."

"It really is." Scully decided she didn't want to probe any further, although her curiosity nagged her like an itch. "So I suppose we're staying until this evening?" She asked, a hint of distress in her voice. This would mean they would arrive in Clearview several hours later than intended.

Mulder winced as he, too, realized the predicament. "We don't have to. I can get his number and call him later."

Scully considered, rubbing her temple. She knew what it was like to be a federal agent and how hard it could be to keep a social life outside of work, especially with other agents and especially with old friends. She sighed as she ate the last bite of her pie and was sad that she'd finished it so fast.

"Hmm.. Clearview law enforcement relayed before we left that they weren't quite ready to hand over the case yet, remember? We were going in headstrong to step on their toes." She finally caught his eyes. "I guess if you really want to, we can stay for a while, Mulder."

He wasn't convinced she was alright with it; he was also indecisive that it would be the best move to make. He had been so hellbent on snatching up the case as soon as he knew of it. But now, things were more complicated, and he felt his stomach tightening with anxiety.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Scully assured instantly, and offered a small, sincere smile. She reached across the table and patted his hand gently. "The case will still be there in a few hours."

Her light touch reassured him, grounded him. When she wasn't poking holes in his theories, Scully proved a very valuable, trustworthy friend. He hoped she knew how grateful he was for her.

He brightened, just a little, but tried to be nonchalant about it. "It won't take long." He was aware that the case was pressing, but he was worried he wouldn't get a chance like this again. To do what, exactly, he wasn't sure. He just knew that he needed to stay. 

She nodded, clearing up the pie residue from her plate; not a crumb could be wasted. "Just long enough to catch up, and then we have to be out of here."

-

About three hours later, the sun was lowering in the sky, fading to a burnt orange. Mulder and Scully had time to kill before Cooper would be finished with his work. They roamed the streets for a while, and they'd seen about every small antique shop and bookstore in town. They'd noticed the sincere lack of chain establishments: everything in Twin Peaks was unique and individual, except for the fact that Benjamin Horne seemed to own more than a few businesses. 

They'd even taken a stroll through the Ghostwood National Forest by the Packard Mill, enjoying companionable silence and sunlight through the trees. Dana was very fond of the smell of pine in the clear, fresh mountain air. She speculated aloud about how many stars could probably be seen this far from a big city, when night would fall. They stopped and gazed at the waterfall overlooked by the Great Northern Hotel, wondering in soft mumbles how the mystery of who killed Laura Palmer could've happened in such a quaint, serene, hospitable place.

But, of course, both of them knew the dark truth was too easily obscured by such adjectives. 

At around six, Mulder called up to Cooper's hotel room. They spoke in quick, halting tones, not used to hearing the other's crackly voice on the other end. The agreement was to meet in the hotel lobby and then quickly catch up at a local hangout called the Bang Bang Bar, more frequently dubbed 'The Roadhouse'. Mulder didn't tell Scully, but he was feeling more than a little anxious about reuniting with his old mentor. There were things between the two of them that were better left unsaid, and he had tried his very best to seem like he was only greeting an old friend when he had seen Dale across the diner. 

Scully was planning on checking out Horne's Department store and getting something to eat on Main Street. This endeavor was starting to feel a lot more like a cracked out weekend vacation than a case excursion, and when she told Mulder this, he laughed and promised it was a one-time ordeal, and that it would be strictly business from there on out. 

He found it slightly peculiar how she had agreed to this: Scully was no-nonsense, no wasted time. On some level, he knew it meant she had somehow felt the importance that this held to him. He tried not to think about the alien abductions, the strange deaths, the missing persons; he knew it would chase him right out of town, if he let his heart get set on it. He had, unwillingly, ached for a chance like this. For too long, and he wasn't going to let Dale Cooper slip through his fingers a second time.

Sometimes the way Cooper eluded him was almost as bad as the way conspiracies slid from his grasp the moment he finally found proof of their existence.

Mulder didn't like to part with Scully in this way, but he convinced himself that the thought was senseless, because she was a grown, empirical woman with a gun on her. And he wasn't planning on being gone for over an hour. It wouldn't take long for something to go wrong between him and Cooper: it never did. And yet, it was essential to speak to him before they missed each other again, drifting endlessly in opposite directions.


End file.
